The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant, botanically known as Begoniaxc3x97hiemalis, commercially known as Elatior Begonia, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Benoxe2x80x99.
The new Begonia was discovered by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Ermelo, The Netherlands, in April, 1994, as a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Begoniaxc3x97hiemalis xe2x80x98Bellonaxe2x80x99, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,476. The new Begonia was observed as a single plant in a group of flowering plants of the parent cultivar. The selection of this plant was based on its unique flower color and plant size.
Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia by leaf and terminal cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Ermelo, The Netherlands, has shown that the unique features of this new Begonia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar xe2x80x98Benoxe2x80x99 has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Benoxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Benoxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct Begonia:
1. Compact and freely branching plant habit.
2. Fully double red-colored flowers.
3. Short peduncles and short pedicels.
4.Excellent postproduction longevity.
In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Ermelo, The Netherlands, plants of the new Begonia differ from plants of the parent cultivar Bellona in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Begonia are more compact than plants of the cultivar Bellona.
2. Flower color of plants of the new Begonia is more intense red than flower color of plants of the cultivar Bellona.
3. Plants of the new Begonia have smaller leaves and flowers than plants of the cultivar Bellona.
4. Plants of the new Begonia have shorter peduncles and shorter pedicels than plants of the cultivar Bellona.